ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. suit — clothes
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. band — a music group
  6. face — to confront
  7. season — of the year
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — what's left
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rest — a break
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. season — in sport
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wind — moving air
  20. band — a ring
  21. pitch — completely
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com